Caring & Sharing Center For Independent Living Inc

"EMPOWERING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES" IS DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT CENTER'S MISSION. IT IS A MISSION THAT INCLUDES ADVOCACY, INFORMATION, MENTORING, TRAINING, TRANSITION AND BEYOND TO TRULY EMPOWER. RESPECT, CHOICE AND CHANGE ARE AT THE CENTER OF EMPOWERMENT. EVERY INDIVIDUAL IS ENCOURAGED TO EMBRACE EMPOWERMENT AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT MAY MEAN A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS AND MAKING THEM HAPPEN. FISCAL, OPERATIONAL, ADVOCACY AND HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES REFLECT SUPPORT FOR EMPOWERMENT AS AGENTS OF CHOICE AND CHANGE. ALL POLICIES OF THE ORGANIZATION MUST ADVANCE THE MISSION, ELIMINATE BARRIERS AND FOSTER INCLUSION. SINCE 1992, DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT CENTER HAS BEEN WORKING TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN PINELLAS AND PASCO COUNTIES TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO INDEPENDENCE AND ENSURE EQUALITY. WE HAVE A REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE COMBINED WITH CONSUMER-FOCUSED COMPASSIONATE SERVICES THAT HELP THOSE WE SERVE TO GAIN OR MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE AT HOME, AT WORK, AND IN ALL ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY LIF

COMMONLY KNOWN AS A CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, WE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING FIVE CORE INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES: INFORMATION AND REFERRAL, INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS TRAINING, TRANSITION, PEER MENTORING, AND INDIVIDUAL AND SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY. FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023, DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT CENTER SERVED A TOTAL OF 1,201 CONSUMERS. OUT OF THIS NUMBER, AN INDEPENDENT LIVING PLAN WAS DEVELOPED FOR 1104 CONSUMERS. DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT CENTER PROVIDED 1896 INDIVIDUAL SERVICES TO CONSUMERS AND 996 INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES. IN ADDITION, THE CENTER SPENT OVER 2011.75 HOURS PROVIDING COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES. DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT CENTER ALSO PROVIDES SERVICES SUCH AS:"COMMUNITY EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND AWARENESS FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT CENTER HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS, MEDIA, COUNTY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS UNITS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO PREPARE THEM TO DEAL WITH ACCESSIBILITY AND SENSITIVITY TO DISABILITY ISSUES. "YOUTH TRANSITION SERVICES (AGES 14 TO 24) FOR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES. "DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING SERVICES SUCH AS COMMUNITY EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND AWARENESS FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHALLENGES. DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT CENTER ALSO PROVIDES DEAF ALERTING EQUIPMENT TO QUALIFIED PERSONS THROUGH OUR CEMA PROGRAM, SUCH AS FLASHING DOOR BELLS AND SMOKE DETECTORS, VIBRATING ALARM CLOCKS AND BABY CRIER AUDIBLE TRANSMITTERS. "ONGOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO OBTAIN DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT THROUGH THE CENTER'S MEDICAL EQUIPMENT RECYCLING PROGRAM (MERP). THESE DONATIONS INCLUDE POWER WHEELCHAIRS, SCOOTERS, MANUAL WHEELCHAIRS, SHOWER CHAIRS, BENCHES, ROLLATORS, WALKERS, CRUTCHES, VEHICLE LIFTS, RAMPS AND INCONTINENT SUPPLIES. MERP EQUIPMENT IS GIVEN TO CONSUMERS WHOSE INSURANCE DOES NOT PROVIDE THESE ITEMS AND WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE EQUIPMENT TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SAFETY AND INDEPENDENCE IN THEIR HOMES AND ACCESSING THE COMMUNITY. "SPECIFIC ASSISTANCE TO QUALIFIED PERSONS THROUGH OUR CONSUMER EQUIPMENT AND MODIFICATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CEMA) TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THE HOME AND COMMUNITY. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE MINOR HOME MODIFICATIONS (SUCH AS RAMPS AND GRAB BARS), DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT REPAIRS, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASES NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE RELEVANT TO SPECIFICS OF DISABILITY.

SERVICES DESIGNED TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WITHIN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH EMPLOYMENT COUNSELING, EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT, EMPLOYMENT ON THE JOB TRAINING, AND SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT.

OTHER- BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD